Bishop William Nolan appointed as Archbishop of Glasgow

Pope Francis has appointed a new Archbishop of Glasgow following the death of Archbishop Philip Tartaglia.

Bishop William Nolan, the Bishop of Galloway, shares the Pope's focus on concerns for social justice.

Archbishop Philip Tartaglia died after testing positive for coronavirus in 2021 after nine years as leader of Scotland's largest Catholic community.

Bishop Nolan said he looked forward to the "challenges that lie ahead" after the "initial shock" of the appointment.

The 68-year-old bishop is from Lanarkshire, where he was educated before receiving his religious training in Aberdeenshire and Rome.

He served in several Scottish parishes before becoming the Bishop of Galloway in 2015 and is president of Justice and Peace Scotland, which advises the church on issues such as social justice, human rights, and climate change.

'COP26 commitment'

"I feel overwhelmed by the trust Pope Francis is putting in me by appointing me as Archbishop of Glasgow," he said, adding that it would be a "wrench" to leave Galloway Diocese.

"As I overcome my initial shock at being appointed archbishop my thoughts now turn to the challenges that lie ahead. I look forward to working with everyone in the archdiocese, laity and clergy, to carry out the mission that we share of proclaiming God's good news and of bringing the joy of the gospel into the lives of the people of today."

The head of Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund, where Bishop Nolan serves on the board, welcomed the news.

"We deeply appreciate his presence on SCIAF's board and his commitment to social justice," he said. "SCIAF has benefited greatly from his leadership, most recently his contributions throughout COP26."

Hugh Bradly, who has been administrator of Glasgow Archdiocese since the death of Archbishop Tartaglia, said he was "delighted" with the appointment.

"I offer him a warm welcome to the Archdiocese of Glasgow and a promise of prayers on behalf of all the clergy, religious and laity," he said.

Who was Archbishop Philip Tartaglia?

Archbishop Tartaglia had been self-isolating at home after contracting coronavirus

The Archbishop of Glasgow, the Most Reverend Philip Tartaglia, died suddenly at his home in the city on 13 January last year - the Feast of St Mungo, the Patron Saint of Glasgow.

He had been self-isolating after testing positive for Covid shortly after Christmas.

Born in Glasgow in 1951, he was ordained a priest in 1975 and had served as leader of Scotland's largest Catholic community since 2012.

Scotland's Catholic bishops described Archbishop Tartaglia as a "gentle, caring and warm-hearted pastor who combined compassion with a piercing intellect".

Among those who paid tribute were First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken, who described the archbishop as "a true Glaswegian".